High-efficiency coding method, high-efficiency coding apparatus, recording and reproducing apparatus, and information transmission system

Abstract

A high-efficiency coding apparatus is provided which can increase accuracy in motion compensation and also increase processing speed without increasing the circuit scale as compared with the case that motion detection is carried out with respect to both of even and odd fields. Thus, this high-efficiency coding apparatus can perform accurate encoding, and can realize satisfactory transmission or recording of information. This high-efficiency coding apparatus is formed with frame memories for storing image information of a present frame therein, a frame memory for storing image information of a preceding frame therein, a frame type/2-field type motion detecting circuit for obtaining frame motion vector data of half-pel accuracy and 2-field motion vector data of half-pel accuracy by effecting motion detection of pixel data located within reference blocks located within the search area of a preceding frame and pixel data located within a remarkable block of the present frame, and selectively outputting these motion vector data. A motion compensating circuit effects motion compensation based on the selected output and an adding circuit effects encoding of the image information of the present frame and motion-compensated image information.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A high-efficiency coding method comprising the steps of: a block-dividing step for dividing image information extracted from a predetermined area of a preceding frame to provide a plurality of reference blocks of a predetermined unit at every frame;   a motion detection step for effecting a motion detection by use of substantially all of the pixel data located within at least one of a plurality of reference blocks corresponding to one field of said plurality of reference blocks to detect motion between a part of the pixel data located within said plurality of reference blocks corresponding to one field of said plurality of reference blocks and a part of the pixel data located within a remarkable block extracted from a current frame;   a motion compensation step for motion-compensating image information of said preceding frame based on motion vector data obtained in said motion detection; and   an encoding step for effecting encoding by calculating a difference between image information of a present frame and motion-compensated image information of said preceding frame.   
     
     
       2. A high-efficiency coding method comprising the steps of: a block-dividing step for dividing image information extracted from a predetermined area of a preceding frame to provide a plurality of reference blocks of a predetermined unit at every frame;   a first motion detection step for obtaining first motion vector data by effecting a first motion detection by use of pixel data located within a plurality of reference blocks corresponding to one field of said plurality of reference blocks and pixel data located within a remarkable block extracted from a present frame;   an interpolation pixel data generation step for obtaining a plurality of interpolation reference blocks by generating interpolation pixel data between pixel data and pixel data within a predetermined area of one field including pixel data located at positions in said preceding frame indicated by said first motion vector data;   a second motion detection step for obtaining second motion vector data by effecting a second motion detection by use of substantially all of the pixel data located within at least one of said interpolation reference blocks and all of the pixel data located within said remarkable block extracted from said preceding frame to detect motion between a part of the pixel data located within said interpolation reference blocks and a part of the pixel data located within said remarkable block;   a motion compensation step for motion-compensating image information of said preceding frame based on said second motion vector data; and   an encoding step for effecting encoding by calculating a difference between image information of a present frame and said motion-compensated image information of said preceding frame.   
     
     
       3. A high-efficiency coding method comprising the steps of: a block-dividing step for dividing image information extracted from a predetermined area of preceding frame to provide a plurality of reference blocks of a predetermined unit at every frame;   a motion detection step for effecting a motion detection by use of substantially all of the pixel data located within at least one of said plurality of reference blocks corresponding to one field of said plurality of reference blocks and substantially all of the pixel data located within a remarkable block extracted from the present frame to detect motion between a part of pixel data located within said plurality of reference blocks corresponding to one field of said plurality of reference blocks and a part of pixel data located within a remarkable block extracted from a present frame;   a motion compensation step for motion-compensating said image information of preceding frame based on said motion vector data obtained in said motion detection step; and   an encoding step for effecting encoding by calculating a difference between said image information of present frame and said motion-compensated image information of preceding frame.   
     
     
       4. A high-efficiency coding method comprising the steps of: a block-dividing step for dividing image information extracted from a predetermined area of preceding frame to provide a plurality of reference blocks of a predetermined unit at every frame;   a first motion detecting step for obtaining first motion vector data by effecting a first motion detection by use of pixel data located within said plurality of reference blocks corresponding to one field located within said plurality of reference blocks and pixel data located within a remarkable block extracted from a present frame;   an interpolation pixel data generation step for obtaining a plurality of interpolation reference blocks by generating interpolation pixel data between pixel data and pixel data within a predetermined area of one field including pixel data located at positions in said preceding frame indicated by said first motion vector data;   a second motion detection step for obtaining second motion vector data by effecting a second motion detection by use of substantially all of the pixel data located within at least one of said plurality of interpolation reference blocks and substantially all of the pixel data located within said remarkable block extracted from said present frame to detect motion between a part of pixel data located within said plurality of interpolation reference blocks and a part of pixel data located within said remarkable block extracted from said present frame;   a motion compensation step for motion-compensating said image information of preceding frame based on said second motion vector data; and   an encoding step for effecting encoding by calculating a difference between said image data information of present frame and said motion-compensated image information of preceding frame.   
     
     
       5. A high-efficiency coding apparatus comprising: first memory means for storing image information of present frame to be encoded therein;   second memory means for storing image information of preceding frame therein;   first motion detecting means for obtaining first motion vector data by effecting a motion detection by use of pixel data located within reference blocks sequentially set within a predetermined range in said image information of preceding frame stored in said second memory means, and pixel data located within a remarkable block in said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means;   interpolation pixel generating means utilizing substantially all of said pixel data located within at least one of said reference blocks and substantially all of said pixel data located within said remarkable block for generating interpolation pixel data between pixel data and pixel data associated with less than all of said pixel data located within at least one of said reference blocks within a predetermined region including pixel data in said image information of preceding frame indicated by said first motion vector data supplied thereto from said first motion detecting means;   second motion detecting means for obtaining second motion vector data by effecting a motion detection by interpolation pixel data located within a plurality of sub-interpolation reference blocks smaller than said reference blocks composed of said interpolation pixel data supplied thereto from said interpolation pixel generating means, and pixel data located within a sub-remarkable block smaller than said remarkable block;   motion compensating means for motion-compensating said image information of preceding frame on the basis of second motion vector data supplied thereto from said second motion detecting means; and   encoding means for effecting encoding based on said motion-compensated image information of preceding frame supplied thereto from said motion compensating means, and said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means.   
     
     
       6. A high-efficiency coding apparatus, comprising: first memory means for storing image information of present frame to be encoded therein;   second memory means for storing image information of preceding frame therein;   first motion detecting means for obtaining first motion vector data by effecting a motion detection by use of pixel data located within reference blocks sequentially set within a predetermined range in said image information of preceding frame stored in said second memory means, and pixel data located within a remarkable block in said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means;   interpolation pixel generating means for generating interpolation pixel data between pixel data and pixel data within a predetermined region including pixel data in said image information of preceding frame indicated by said first motion vector data supplied thereto from said first motion detecting means;   second motion detecting means for obtaining second motion vector data by effecting a motion detection by interpolation pixel data located within a plurality of sub-interpolation reference blocks smaller than said reference blocks composed of said interpolation pixel data supplied thereto from said interpolation pixel generating means, and pixel data located within a sub-remarkable block smaller than said remarkable block;   motion compensating means for motion-compensating said image information of preceding frame on the basis of second motion vector data supplied thereto from said second motion detecting means; and   encoding means for effecting encoding based on said motion-compensated image information of preceding frame supplied thereto from said motion compensating means, and said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means, said interpolation pixel generating means further comprising a plurality of systems each composed of a plurality of delay circuits and adding circuits whose number is the same as that of said reference blocks for generating interpolation pixel data of said plurality of reference blocks from said image information of preceding frame supplied thereto from said second memory means and averaging means provided at last stages of said plurality of stages, and said second motion detecting means comprises a plurality of difference absolute value sum calculating means for calculating difference absolute value sum of outputs of said plurality of averaging means and pixel data of the remarkable block supplied thereto from said first memory means only during a predetermined period, and minimum value selecting means for obtaining motion vector data based on difference absolute value sum data of minimum value from a plurality of difference absolute value sum data from said plurality of difference absolute sum calculating means.   
     
     
       7. A recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: recording-signal-processing means for processing recorded image information for recording;   first memory means for storing encoded image information of present frame;   second memory means for storing image information of present frame;   first motion detecting means for obtaining first motion vector data by effecting motion detection of pixel data located within reference blocks sequentially set within a predetermined range of image information of preceding frame stored in said second memory means and pixel data located within a remarkable block of said image information of present frame;   interpolation pixel generating means utilizing substantially all of said pixel data located within said remarkable block for generating interpolation pixel data between pixel data and pixel data associated with less than all of said pixel data within a predetermined area including pixel data in said image information of preceding frame indicated by said first motion vector data supplied thereto from said first motion detecting means;   second motion detecting means for obtaining second motion vector data by effecting a motion detection of interpolation pixel data located within a plurality of sub-interpolation reference blocks smaller than said reference block composed of interpolation pixel data supplied thereto from said interpolation pixel generating means and pixel data located within a sub-remarkable block smaller than said remarkable block;   motion compensating means for motion-compensating said image information of preceding frame based on said second motion vector data supplied thereto from said second motion detecting means;   encoding means for effecting encoding based on said motion-compensated image information of preceding frame supplied thereto from said motion compensating means, and said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means;   recording means for recording an output from said encoding means on a recording medium;   reproducing means for reproducing recorded information from said recording medium;   decoding means for decoding a reproduced output supplied thereto from said reproducing means; and   reproduced-signal-processing means for reproduced-signal-processing an output supplied thereto from said decoding means.   
     
     
       8. A recording and reproducing apparatus, comprising: recording-signal-processing means for processing recorded image information for recording;   first memory means for storing encoded image information of present frame;   second memory means for storing image information of present frame;   first motion detecting means for obtaining first motion vector data by effecting motion detection of pixel data located within reference blocks sequentially set within a predetermined range of image information of preceding frame stored in said second memory means and pixel data located within a remarkable block of said image information of present frame;   interpolation pixel generating means for generating interpolation pixel data between pixel data and pixel data within a predetermined area including pixel data in said image information of preceding frame indicated by said first motion vector data supplied thereto from said first motion detecting means;   second motion detecting means for obtaining second motion vector data by effecting a motion detection of interpolation pixel data located within a plurality of sub-interpolation reference blocks smaller than said reference block composed of interpolation pixel data supplied thereto from said interpolation pixel generating means and pixel data located within a sub-remarkable block smaller than said remarkable block;   motion compensating means for motion-compensating said image information of preceding frame based on said second motion vector data supplied thereto from said second motion detecting means;   encoding means for effecting encoding based on said motion-compensated image information of preceding frame supplied thereto from said motion compensating means, and said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means;   recording means for recording an output from said encoding means on a recording medium;   reproducing means for reproducing recorded information from said recording medium;   decoding means for decoding a reproduced output supplied thereto from said reproducing means; and   reproduced-signal-processing means for reproduced-signal-processing an output supplied thereto from said decoding means, said interpolation pixel generating means further comprising systems composed of a plurality of delay circuits and adding circuits whose number is the same as that of said reference blocks for generating interpolation pixel data of said plurality of reference blocks from said image information of preceding frame supplied thereto from said second memory means and averaging means provided at respective last stages of said plurality of systems, and said second motion detecting means comprises a plurality of difference absolute value sum calculating means for calculating difference absolute value sum of respective outputs supplied thereto said plurality of averaging means and pixel data of a remarkable block supplied thereto from said first memory means, and minimum value selecting means for obtaining motion vector data based on difference absolute value sum data of smallest value of a plurality of difference absolute value sum data supplied thereto from said plurality of difference absolute sum calculating means.   
     
     
       9. An information transmission system comprising: first memory means for storing encoded image information of present frame therein;   second memory means for storing image information of preceding frame therein;   first motion detecting means for obtaining first motion vector data by effecting a motion detecting of pixel data located within reference blocks sequentially set within a predetermined range of said image information of preceding frame stored in said second memory means and pixel data of a remarkable block in said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means;   interpolation pixel generating means utilizing substantially all of said pixel data located within said remarkable block for generating interpolation pixel data between pixel data and pixel data associated with less than all of said pixel data within a predetermined area including pixel data located in said image information of preceding frame indicated by said first motion vector data supplied thereto from said first motion detecting means;   second motion detecting means for obtaining second motion vector data by effecting a motion detection of interpolation pixel data located within a plurality of sub-interpolation reference blocks smaller than said reference block composed of interpolation pixel data supplied thereto from said interpolation pixel generating means an pixel data located within a sub-remarkable block smaller than said remarkable block;   motion compensating means for motion-compensating said image information of preceding frame based on said second motion vector data supplied thereto from said second motion vector data;   encoding means for effecting encoding based on said motion-compensated image information of preceding frame supplied thereto from said motion compensating means and said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means;   transmitting means for transmitting an output supplied thereto from said encoding means; and   decoding means for decoding transmitted information.   
     
     
       10. An information transmission system, comprising: first memory means for storing encoded image information of present frame therein;   second memory means for storing image information of preceding frame therein;   first motion detecting means for obtaining first motion vector data by effecting a motion detecting of pixel data located within reference blocks sequentially set within a predetermined range of said image information of preceding frame stored in said second memory means and pixel data of a remarkable block in said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means;   interpolation pixel generating means for generating interpolation pixel data between pixel data and pixel data within a predetermined area including pixel data located in said image information of preceding frame indicated by said first motion vector data supplied thereto from said first motion detecting means;   second motion detecting means for obtaining second motion vector data by effecting a motion detection of interpolation pixel data located within a plurality of sub-interpolation reference blocks smaller than said reference block composed of interpolation pixel data supplied thereto from said interpolation pixel generating means an pixel data located within a sub-remarkable block smaller than said remarkable block;   motion compensating means for motion-compensating said image information of preceding frame based on said second motion vector data supplied thereto from said second motion vector data;   encoding means for effecting encoding based on said motion-compensated image information of preceding frame supplied thereto from said motion compensating means and said image information of present frame stored in said first memory means;   transmitting means for transmitting an output supplied thereto from said encoding means; and   decoding means for decoding transmitted information, said interpolation pixel generating means further comprising a plurality of systems composed of a plurality of delay circuits and adding circuits whose number is the same as that of said reference block numbers for generating interpolation pixel data of a plurality of reference blocks from said image information of preceding frame from said second memory means, and averaging means provided at respective last stages of said plurality of systems, and said second motion detecting means comprises a plurality of difference absolute value sum calculating means for calculating difference absolute value sum of respective outputs of said plurality of averaging means and pixel data of remarkable block from said first memory means only during a predetermined period, and minimum value selecting means for obtaining motion vector data based on difference absolute value sum data of smallest value in a plurality of difference absolute value sum data supplied thereto from said plurality of difference absolute value sum calculating means.